Para que servem os inventários de fauna?

Inventários de fauna acessam diretamente a diversidade de uma localidade, em um determinado espaço e tempo. Os dados primários gerados pelos inventários compõem uma das ferramentas mais importantes na tomada de decisões a respeito do manejo de áreas naturais. Entretanto, vários problemas têm sido observados em diversos níveis relacionados aos inventários de fauna no Brasil e vão desde a formação de recursos humanos até a ausência de padronização, de desenho experimental e de seleção de métodos inadequados. São apresentados estudos de caso com mamíferos, répteis, anfíbios e peixes, nos quais são discutidos problemas como variabilidade temporal e métodos para detecção de fauna terrestre, sugerindo que tanto os inventários quanto os programas de monitoramento devam se estender por prazos maiores e que os inventários devem incluir diferentes metodologias para que os seus objetivos sejam plenamente alcançados.Inventories of fauna directly access the diversity of a locality in a certain period of time. The primary data generated by these inventories comprise one of the most important steps in decisions making regarding the management of natural areas. However, several problems have been observed at different levels related to inventories of fauna in Brazil, and range from the training of humans to the lack of standardization of experimental design and selection of inappropriate methods. We present case studies of mammals, reptiles, amphibians and fishes, where they discussed issues such temporal variability and methods for detection of terrestrial fauna, suggesting that both inventories and monitoring programs should be extended for longer terms and that inventories should include different methodologies to ensure that their goals are fully achieved

Seasonal and habitat variations in diet of the invasive driftwood catfish Trachelyopterus galeatus in a Neotropical river basin, Brazil

The characteristics of successful invaders often include generalist traits that enable adaptation to new environments through plastic responses, including their diet. The use of trophic resources of invasive driftwood catfish Trachelyopterus galeatus of the Upper Paraná River basin, Brazil, were studied with diet analysis and stable isotopic niche metrics based on δ15N and δ13C to test differences between a free-from-dam and damming population, and between wet and dry season. Stomach content analyses revealed significant differences between the populations. The diet of the riverine free-flowing river population was macroinvertebrate dominated, with Coleoptera and Lepidoptera prominent. In the damming population, diet was largely plant based, although Coleoptera was also prominent. Trophic niche breadth comparisons revealed a larger niche in the free-from-dam population versus the damming population that was independent of season. In both sites had dietary differences between the wet and dry season according to stomach contents analyses, although these were less prominent according to stable isotope metrics. Therefore, the diet of this invader is relatively general and plastic, enabling their exploitation of the varying availability of food resources between free-from-dam and damming river sections, and between wet and dry season